Combined shopping bag and carrying case therefor



5'. SHAW March 9, 1954 COMBINED SHOPPING BAG AND CARRYING CASE THEREFOR Filed Aug. 23, 1952 INVENTOR BernardJ/Zdd/ M ATTO R N EY Patented Mar. 9, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COMBINED SHOPPING BAG AND CARRYING CASE THEREFOR Bernard Shaw, New York, N. Y.

Application August 23, 1952, Serial No. 305,941

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to improvements in shopping bags.

It is among the objects of this invention to provide a shopping bag which when not in use can be carried in a small compact bundle or package, so much so that the resultant package can be carried in a ladys handbag; which is so carried in a permanently connected envelope or carrying case maintaining the assembly of shopping bag and carrying case in a neat compact bundle or package; which in use provides a bag of substantial capacity suspended from the shoulder of the user leaving the user free to use both hands during shopping; and which when so used causes a minimum of discomfort to the shoulder of the user from which the bag is so suspended.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description thereof.

In accordance with this invention a shopping bag of any desired capacity and made of pliable or foldable material so that it can be folded into a small compact bundle is permanently connected by a flexible strap or supporting band to a carrying case or envelope constructed to readily receive the shopping bag when the latter is folded into a compact bundle and to also receive the supporting band. The carrying case is so constructed and designed that it functions as a shoulder pad to support the shopping bag suspended from the shoulder of the user at a convenient level for the hands of the user leaving both hands free.

In the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification and showing, for purposes of exemplification, preferred forms of this invention without limiting the claimed invention to such illustrative instances,

Figure l is a front elevational view of a cornbined shopping bag and carrying case embodying my invention; this figure shows the combined shopping bag and carrying case in the position in which it is suspended from the shoulder of the user;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken in a plane indicated by line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the shopping bag disposed within the carrying case; and

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a modified form of the invention.

In the drawing I indicates a shopping bag which may be of any desired capacity and preferably is of relatively large capacity sufficient to hold items and packages which a housewife might desire to collect in a shopping trip, say through a supermarket. This bag may be of fabric, plastic or other pliable material which permits folding of the bag into a small compact bundle. Fabric mesh is the preferred material. The bag [0 desirably has an elastic cord or band ll passing through the top hem [2 to gather together the material at the mouth [3 of the bag and thus tend to retain within the bag any objects placed therein. The elastic band I I also facilitates opening of the mouth l3 of the bag to permit the insertion of packages or other objects therein.

A carrying case or envelope I l is made of fabric, plastic or other suitable material. It is relatively small and compact as compared to the size of the shopping bag when the latter is inits extended or unfolded position. In the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawing to which, however, the invention is not limited, the carrying case is of oblong shape and of a size to snugly receive the folded shopping bag. It is made by sewing together the two oblong fabric layers 15 and i6 along the long edge I1 and along the major part of the shorter edges [8 and I9. There is thus produced a relatively large mouth 20 extending the full length of the other long edge 2i of the carrying case. The relatively short openings 22 and 23 at the sides l8 and i9, respectively, contiguous to the mouth 20 contribute to the increased size of the mouth 20 and thus facilitate insertion of the folded bag into the carrying case I4 and its withdrawal when desired.

Secured to the fabric layer i5 at the mouth end thereof is a strap or supporting band 24 which may be of any desired length to suspend the shopping bag 10 at the desired level. Intermediate portion 25 of the supporting band or strap 24 is secured as by sewing to the fabric layer 15 of the carrying case while the ends 26 and 21 are suitably secured as by stitching or otherwise to the upper ends of the shopping bag It. In this way the shopping bag H) is suspended from the carrying case. The two layers of material l5 and i6 constituting the carrying case, which, it will be noted, are of a width several times that of the supporting band 24, thus serve as a shoulder pad or support from which the shopping bag is suspended when the user places the carrying case It on his or her shoulder leaving the shopping bag suspended contiguous to the side of the user. The shoulder pad thus produced minimizes discomfort to the shoulder of the user due to the weight of the contents of the shopping bag, particularly as compared with the use of a shopping bag having a shoulder strap which because of its relatively narrow width tends to cut into the shoulder of the user.

While in the form of the invention shown in Figures 1 and 2, the supporting strap or band 24 is shown secured to the underneath layer forming one side of the carrying case, it will be understood that this strap can be secured to the upper layer forming the upper side of the carrying case M when the latter functions as a shoulder pad.

The mouth 20 of the carrying case M desirably is provided with a snap fastener 28 for closing the same. Other forms of fasteners could, of course, be used, if desired.

The modification of Figure 4 differs from that of Figures 1, 2 and 3, hereinabove described, chiefly in that the carrying case has the strap 24 extending from the closed or opposite end of the carrying case from that from which thisstrap extends in the form of the invention shown in Figures 1- to3. In this modification of Figure 4 when the shopping bag is folded and placed within; the carrying case M the ends of the supporting bands 24 contiguous to the shopping bag are disposed exteriorly of the carrying case, as shown in Figure 4, the remainder of these supportingv bands as well as all of the shopping bag being disposed within the carrying case Hi. In the modification of Figure 3 all of the shopping bag, as well as all of the supporting straps or bands 24, are disposed within the carrying case. In both modifications when th shopping bag is suspended from the carrying case the latter acts as a shoulder pad or support for the shopping bag suspending it from the shoulder at a convenient level leaving both hands of the user free and minimizing discomfort to the shoulder of theuser, as hereinabove explained.

In the preferred embodiment of th invention shown in Figures 1 and-3 this carrying case it is provided with a permanent crease 38 along the longitudinal median line thereof permitting ready folding of the carrying case to form a neat shoulder pad constituted of four layers of material. The carryi sothat edge I! un erlies and is coincident with the forward edges of mouth 29. In this way the straps 24, extending downwardly from the upper layer l5, exert pressure on this upper layer caused by the weight of materia1 within bag It and maintain the carrying case in desired folded position on the shoulder. If desired, the carrying case 14 isprovided with snap fasteners 3i (Figure 3) at the corners to fasten it in folder]. position along the median line 30 when the carrying case serves as a shoulder pad.

Instead of a single strap 24 connecting the carrying case to the bag two separate straps may be used. Each of these straps may be adjustable in length by means of a sliding buckle, removable stitching or otherwise.

Since certain changes may be made in. the above described combined shopping bag and case M of Figure 3 is folded.

carrying case therefor and different embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. For example, the shopping bag may be used as a school bag to carry books, the shoulder pad minimizing discomfort to the shoulder of the child carrying the books. When the child removes the books from the bag, the bag can then be inserted in folded position within the carrying case; the resultant small, compact package will occupy little spac and will therefore not be in the way on the desk or other part of the classroom in which it may be placed. When so used the bag [0 may be provided with suitable emblem or indicia, such as the name of the school, etc. It will be understood, therefore, that the expression shopping bag is used in a broad sense and includes school bags and other bags for carrying objects.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A combined shopping bag and carrying case therefor, comprising a relatively large shopping bag of pliable material which is adapted to be folded into a small compact bundle, a carrying case consisting of two overlapping layers of pliable material fastened together along their overlapping edges except along one relatively long side to produce a relatively large mouth for the reception of the folded shopping bag, said carrying case being of substantially the same size as the relatively large shopping bag when the latter is in its folded compact condition, and a supporting band secured to said carrying case and having the ends thereof secured to opposite sides of said shopping bag, said carrying case having intermediate the mouth end and the opposite end a longitudinally extending crease along which said carrying case may be folded and when so folded said carrying case being adapted to rest on the shoulder of the user to suspend through said supporting band the shopping bag and to provide at least two layers of said pliable material on the shoulder, which layers function as a shoulder pad from which said shopping bag is suspended at a convenient level leaving both hands of the user free.

BERNARD SHAW.

References Cited in the file of this patent- UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,493,085 Pincus Jan. 3, 1950 2,617,569 Sommer Nov. 11, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 94,783 Switzerland May 16, 1922 

